The seventh-ranked St. Lawrence University women’s hockey team snapped an 0-for-31 streak on the power play halfway through the first period, then added a second power play goal in the second period to hand fifth-ranked Colgate their first loss of the season, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon at Appleton Arena.
The Saints improved to 3-3-2 overall, 1-1-0 in ECAC Hockey, while Colgate fell to 7-1-0, 1-1-0.
“That was a good solid effort by our team tonight and it came at a very good time,” said St. Lawrence head coach Chris Wells ’92. “Some timely goals and some great efforts made it happen. Colgate has been one if not the best team in the country this year. We had some pucks bounce our way and we were able to get the win.”
Amanda Butterfield gave the Saints an early lead, scoring on a blast from the point on the Saints’ second power play of the game off assists from Skylar Podvey and Kayla Vespa.
Rachael Smith (pictured above), who transferred to St. Lawrence from Mercyhurst prior to the start of the season, gave the Saints a 2-0 lead with her first goal in a St. Lawrence University uniform with less than a minute to play in the first. Smith took a feed from Kalie Grant at center ice and got past two Colgate defenders before skating across the crease and beating Colgate goaltender Liz Auby with a shot through the five-hole.
Colgate’s Malia Schneider cut the lead to one at the 6:23 mark of the second, tipping a shot past St. Lawrence goalie Grace Harrison on a shot from the point by Lauren Wildfang.
Lydia Grauer restored the two-goal margin with St. Lawrence skating 4-on-3, firing a wrist shot from the slot for her first goal of the year halfway through the second period.
Harrison made the lead stand up for St. Lawrence, stopping 22 shots for her second win of the year. Auby made 17 saves for the Raiders.
“As we are still finding our way, this game will give us confidence heading into a tough stretch to the end of the semester,” said Wells.
The Saints go on the road next weekend to face Brown and Yale in ECAC Hockey play.
